Overview

Roda Island is an island located on the Nile in central Cairo.

Historically, the mamluks of Bahri dynasty originally settled on the Roda Island at the castle of Al-Rodah, which was built by the Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub in order to house his mamluks. The name of the dynasty, "Bahriyya", means 'of the river', referring to their original settlement on the island on the Nile River.

Roda Island residences are considered one of the most intimidating buildings in the Egypt. The El-Manial district and the Manial Palace and Museum and gardens are located on the island. It is west of historic Old Cairo, over a small branch of the Nile. The island has one of the oldest Islamic buildings in Egypt, the Nilometer, in the neighbourhood of the Manasterly Palace on its southern tip.